Sweet Treats without the Guilt

Written by Erica Andersen
Part of National Nutrition Month 2014

Just because you love desserts as much as I do, doesn’t mean you can’t live a healthy lifestyle.  Desserts can be delicious and nutritious; you just have to be creative! Most sweet treats contain lots of empty calories due to added fats (like butter or shortening), and sugar.  These calories are considered “empty” because they contain little to no nutritional value. While consuming a little bit of empty calories is okay, many people consume more than they should. The trick to making desserts healthier is cutting out those empty calories without sacrificing taste. One of my favorite desserts (or late night snacks) is a healthy take on Apple Pie that does just that!

Image by Erica Andersen

What you need:

• 1 Pink Lady Apple (Honeycrisp are another good choice, just make sure you choose something crisp so it doesn’t get mushy when cooked)
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Cool Whip

 First, wash an apple and cut it into ½ inch cubes. Place the apple cubes in a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg (You can always adjust the amounts, this is just what I like to use). Next, mix everything around to make sure the cubes are coated evenly. Cook in the microwave on high for 1 minute; and you’re done! Top with Cool Whip and enjoy! What’s your favorite sweet treat? 

References

What are empty calories?. (n.d.). Choosemyplate.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories.html 

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